Manitoba Personal Care Homes Newest Victim of Government Cuts

Nov 24, 2017

Forty personal care homes in Winnipeg have
had thousands of dollars cut from their budgets. The .25% funding cut was revealed yesterday
in the Manitoba Legislature. It may not
sound significant at first, but when you add up the cuts they total $1
million.

“This is a significant hit to our seniors
living in personal care homes,” said MGEU President Michelle Gawronsky. “Our
members who work in these facilities will tell you that resources are already
stretched thin. For example, due to
staffing shortages, there is less time to give baths, plan activities for
residents to keep their minds engaged and ensure all rooms are thoroughly
cleaned. Everything is being rushed.”

The MGEU has over 40,000 members, many of
whom work in personal cares throughout Winnipeg and Manitoba.

Earlier this year, the Winnipeg Regional
Health Authority was ordered by the government to cut their budget by $83
million. The MGEU has spoken out about cuts
that are driven by the bottom line instead of patient care. We will continue to urge the Premier and
Minister of Health to reverse health care cuts that are putting patient care in
jeopardy.

Gawronsky also noted that the funding cuts
have impacted everything from the availability of much needed supplies to the
loss of important therapy services in many personal care homes.

“In some cases, we’re hearing that workers
don’t have proper gloves available to them. I know at one of the facilities,
the employer has not filled a rehab therapy position due to the budget cuts,”
said Gawronsky. “This means residents
who have suffered a stroke or, have broken a bone no longer have access to
range of motion exercises to help them in their recovery. This is no way to treat our seniors.”

The list below shows which personal care
homes have been cut, and how much has been cut from each: